Mobile & PDA Testing Projects

Cross platform including different mobile platforms and form-factors

Web 2.0, Java

Web search engine for mobile devices (a mobile internet system)

Ongoing testing support of the beta version

Taptu.com is a new search engine for mobile phones. It is an innovative system built on the basis of Web 2.0 and mobile technologies. It takes into account differences of diverse handhelds and adapts the content of the pages displayed to sizes and other peculiarities of mobile devices (cell phones, BlackBerry, smartphones, etc.).

In its database Taptu has indexed millions of songs, videos and information about artists. A user can listen to them on a mobile phone wherever he/she is. But music is only a small part of the multimedia content which can be found with the help of Taptu.

Black-box automated and manual testing
Functional testing
Regression
Configuration testing
Usability testing

1 team lead, 3 test engineers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports and Suggestions

Challenge: a lot of platforms should be tested for a short time.

Solution: A specialized automated tool was used to speed up the testing process.

Windows Mobile 6.x, Symbian 9.x

Internal developed tool PanCatcher for Symbian, System Monitor Pro for WM, Wireshark sniffer, PCSuite, Active Sync

Security testing on Mobile devices

Security Certification Testing of the application for mobile devices

At Ford Motor Company it's recognized that viruses and other malware for smart phones are becoming an everyday problem for mobile security. A virus can cause false billing, unwanted disclosure of stored information, and deleted, corrupted, modified or stolen user data. The Company turned to BugHuntress QA Lab, a reliable testing partner capable of certifying that a provided software package does not do anything malicious once downloaded to a consumer's mobile device.

A set of tests that focus on general phone/device functionality was provided by BugHuntress team:
Normal and Stressed Usage,
Service Interruption,
Low Memory Startup,
Low Storage Memory During Startup & Execution,
System Events and Task List Compliance,
Application Functionality In Between Device Reboots,
Backup and Restore Compliance,
Unistallation, Reinstallation and mass memory storage, Scalable UI Compliance (S60 3rd Edition or UIQ3.x),
Correct Auto-start Behavior,
Applications Do Not Interfere With Voice Calls,
Telephony UI Application Control,
Manufacturer Disclaimer for VoIP Applications,
Active VoIP Call & Notification of An Incoming Call,
Emergency Call When VoIP Application is Open.

The prohibited activities include: taking control of a consumer's mobile device; modifying security or other settings of the mobile device to cause damage or harm; spyware tactics for surveillance and tracking, such as keystroke logging; preventing reasonable efforts to block installation or to uninstall.

Security
Certification
Functional

Over 118 hrs. at the first stage, Over 16 hrs. at the second stage

1 team leader, 2 QA engineers

Test Plan
Bug Report
Final Report

Challenge: The necessity to certify that a provided software package does not do anything malicious once downloaded to a consumer's mobile device. To eliminate the personal data transfer and non-documented/spy/virus activities through internet (Wi-Fi, WAP, GPRS) and Bluetooth, changing of files system (ROM and public) that can damage device or OS. To prove the general phone/device functionality.

Solution: BugHuntress QA Lab team has performed an extensive experience and deep knowledge by providing a set of tests that focus on general phone/device functionality approval. To perform the monitoring of personal data transfer through Internet (Wi-Fi, WAP, GPRS) and Bluetooth, control and analyze any network activity issued by the application, and give clear understanding on whether the application performs any undocumented or spy activities, BugHuntress team has emulated Symbian internet access point (IAP) of WAP or GPRS on the device and used special sniffer application running on PC and intercepting the network traffic coming from the emulated IAP via Bluetooth. The harmful changes to the file system issued by the application were caught and eliminated. Due to the used network sniffer software running on either Windows Mobile device or PC which is connected with the device via ActiveSync, the whole network activity of the application can be controlled and executed effectively.

Symbian S60 v2-3; UIQ3.x; Windows Mobile 5/6, Smartphone, PocketPC; iPhone

Web 2.0 techniques, Java

Mobile Web applications

Testing of a social networking community

FunkySexyCool (FSC) is a global mobile-based social dating community that makes it fast, fun and easy to meet new people, connect with friends, and discover and share new interests. Members can socialize through browsing by gender, location, interest or age group, and can vote other members to be "funky", "sexy" or "cool". FunkySexyCool is available in 10 different languages with more to be announced soon. The service is live in Europe, Asia, Africa, India and most recently the US.

Through partnerships with phone carriers and major organizations such as MTV and Ford Models, FSC is growing very fast. With hundreds of thousands of registered members, FSC is quickly becoming the premium global mobile social community for meeting new people.

In order to prove the functionality of the product FunkySexyCool turned to BugHuntress QA Lab for independent software testing of the product. BugHuntress QA Lab was engaged to the project on the beta-testing stage for defects revelation and prevention of their future appearance.

Black-box automated and manual testing
Functional testing
Regression
Interface testing
Integration testing

1 team lead, 1 test engineer

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports

Challenge: Necessity to test the application on ~50 handsets across 13 carriers in the US, UK, Germany and France.

Solution: Testing of the application using a special automated tool.

Windows NT/2000/XP, Symbian, MS Smartphone, MIDP

Java, C++, J2ME, J2EE

Entertainment

A phone UI player, editor, manager

Fexius includes the following components:

Fexplayer is the core technology of Fexius. It is a compact application that runs on mobile handsets, displaying and managing customized and branded UIs, called Trigs (see below).

Fexes are customized and branded UIs that can be downloaded or pushed to Fexplayer - enabled handsets over the air.

Fexlets are partial UI updates, allowing areas of the phone's UI (for example, menus, images, ring tones) to be replaced over the air without affecting the rest of the Fex. Fexlets are well suited to promotional UI content such as client-based service stores, "top ten" lists and advertisements.

Fexserver is a server package that manages the sending of Fexuis content (Fexplayer, Fexes and Fexlets) over the air to mobile handsets. Fexserver incorporates Fexpublisher, a back-end server application that allows management of Fexius content before deployment on standard Web and synchronization servers.

Fexbuilder is a GUI-based development tool for Windows that allows Fexes and Fexlets to be developed and modified by UI designers.

Web client-server application with mobile phones clients. It allows downloading a favorite phone desktop theme via WAP and/or GPRS. Supported client-platforms: Symbian, MSSmartphone. MIDP is also supported.

Automated and manual black-box
Functional testing
Usability testing
Configuration testing
Integration testing

Over 4200 hrs

1 team lead, 4 test engineers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports and suggestions

Challenge: Testing under different platforms with the goal to keep up the product with the same interface. Growth of testing team.

Solution: Usage of products for automated testing (Rational). Usage of programs which emulate GPRS. Composing of additional internal documentation to facilitate the training of new testers.

Brew, Symbian, Windows Mobile, J2ME-enabled mobile phones

BREW SDK 3.1.4, J2ME, C++

Game

Testing of a multi-player multi-platform mobile game

SUMO is an extremely realistic sumo tournament game intended for mobile phone users. It supports a wide range of devices among the Symbian, Brew and J2ME handsets. SUMO allows choosing whether you wish to play in a single player or a multiplayer mode via Bluetooth. Apart to standard multiplayer functionality SUMO provides for ability to connect between handsets under different platforms, e.g. Brew-to-Symbian, J2ME-to-Brew etc. This was made possible due to the usage of unified protocol for multiplayer games.

Manual and automated black-box testing
Functional testing
Stress testing
Usability testing
Configuration testing
Installation testing

Over 500 hrs

From 1 to 3 testers at different stages of the project

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports
Suggestions

Challenge: Monitoring of various game parameters.

Solution: An automated system for logging game events and parameters was created.

Symbian 7-8, J2ME

C++, Java

Mobile web application

Testing of a mobile client of a compound web-based system

The application is designed for storing and synchronizing data on a web server using mobile phones. With the help of a mobile web client, users can create and manage profiles, add, review, change, and remove content (images, comments, data, etc.) on e-Communities.

Semi-automated and manual testing
Functional testing
UI testing
Configuration testing
Integration testing

About 3000 hrs

1 team lead, 3 testers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports
Suggestions

Challenge: Testing and monitoring of the client-server synchronization.

Solution: Special traps to compare outbox and inbox data were developed.

Windows NT/2000/XP, Palm OS

C/C++, Pascal

CodeWarrior 8.0, VC 6.0, Delphi 6.0

Testing

Application for Palm test automation

A goal of this project was to create an application for Palm test automation. The Test suite developed consists of two parts: Palm-part and PC-part. Palm-part provides the QA engineer with a set of functions for recording and replaying of a sequence of actions for bug reproduction. PC-part is intended for bug analysis, editing and other actions over recorded sequences. Low-level Palm OS development was used and special version of Palm OS emulator was created.

A client-server system with a Palm OS client and a Windows server. A tool for automated testing of Palm OS-based applications.

Manual black-box and white-box
Functional testing
Usability testing
Regression
Stress testing
Integration testing
Configuration testing
Installation testing

Over 11000 hrs

1 team lead, 2 Sr. test engineers, 8 test engineers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports

Challenge: Necessity to test a huge amount of Palm OS applications before starting to test BHTS. Strict quality standards, higher requirements for stress testing and many devices to be supported.

Solution: Creation of own knowledge-base of universal scripts designed for testing of different Palm OS applications.

C++

Code Warrior 8.0

Security software

Software system which provides protection, control and secure access to different handheld devices and data.

A set of applications for 4 handheld platforms: Palm OS, Pocket PC, Symbian OS, RIM OS. PDA Secure Suite enables users to gain full control over the access to the data stored on handheld devices.

Supported features for Palm OS: Data encryption and password security of Palm and third party applications, Hotsync and beaming password protection, Flexible capabilities of auto device locking after power-off, different passwords for turning the device on and for application usage, individual passwords for different applications, 7 encryption algorithms, card encryption.

Supported features for Pocket PC: Secure Folders data encryption, Password secure for Pocket PC PIM and third party applications, ActiveSync and beaming password protection, Flexible capabilities of auto device locking after power-off, Different passwords for turning device and for application using 7 encryption algorithms, Card encryption.

Supported features for Symbian OS: Secure Folders data encryption, IR transfer password protection, Flexible capabilities of auto device locking after power-off, Password for turning the device on and 7 encryption algorithms.

Supported features for RIM OS: Password security RIM and third party applications, Flexible capabilities of auto device locking after power-off, Different passwords for turning the device on and for application using 7 encryption algorithms.

PC part allows to gain a central control over organization's handheld devices with different platforms (Palm OS, Pocket PC, Symbian OS, RIM OS) due to the special policies, which contain security settings. Monitoring of handheld devices connected to computer local network, and flexible control over their access and usage in local network are also possible.

Trust Mobility PC client-server for Palm, PPC, MSSmartphone, Symbian, RIM

Manual black-box
Functional testing
Usability testing
Regression Stress testing
Configuration testing
Integration testing
Installation testing

Over 4300 hrs

3 test engineers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Acceptance test cases
Use Cases
User manual
Bug Reports and Suggestions

Challenge: Large amount of testing with constrained time frame.

Solution: Some of necessary devices were emulated. Strict scheduling, tasks assignment and control.

Palm OS

C, C++

Codewarrior 9 for Palm OS

Games

Popular games realization for Palm OS

Arcanoid: Ruling the rocket, player fights off the ball and breaks bricks on the field. The aim of the game is to destroy all bricks in spite of constant increase of game tempo and ball speed. During the game player gets prizes, and it helps him to win (he can upgrade his weapon or use several balls). A number of animated background pictures, more than 60 levels, comfortable controlling, realistic reflection of the ball on barriers, several types of mechanic monsters on ball way, gravitational fields, which break the ball trajectory.

Pinball: The aim of the game is to get as many scores as possible and not to lose control over ball. Player uses two spades, with which he can catch, fight off and direct the ball. There are different splashboards and gates on the game field, and when the player fights them he gets scores. Player can upgrade his space ship, hire a crew and grip trophy, from small ships to rich interstellar caravans.

Wallsword: Player should bring the ball through the labyrinth full of dangerous objects and barriers, collecting magic crystals. Ball can never stop to move through the labyrinth; and any barrier on his way changes his trajectory. To win this game one should predict the consequences of each movement. After having gathered all crystals, ball always gets to the exit of the labyrinth.

Internal project. Logic and dynamic Palm games

Manual black-box
Functionality testing
Usability testing
Configuration testing
Integration testing

Over 500 hrs

2 test engineers

Test Plan
Test Cases
Bug Reports and suggestions

Challenge: Multi-platform testing. Variety of supported devices.

Solution: Purchase of devices which belong to different groups. In addition to them emulators and simulators were used.